Back Issues 2016

2016 MERCEDES ENTHUSIAST BACK ISSUES

Road Test Special: We head into deepest Yorkshire with the 503bhp Mercedes-AMG C63 S Coupe Edition 1.Ownership: Not content with just one V8 Mercedes, this owner has bought four of them for a modest sum.Interview: We speak exclusively to the ‘father’ of the original CLS and former head of design, Peter Pfeiffer.Road Test: It may be the entry level to the S-Class drop top range, but the S500 Cabriolet looks and goes like a dream.Classic Choice: A W111 280SE Coupe in great condition and offered for a sensible price – what more could you want?Take Two: They may both have five-litre V8s, but there are plenty of differences between these low mile R129 SL500s.Spotlight: This 1975 280CE drag car boasts nitrous injection and a 7.1-litre Chevy block producing over 800bhp!Motorsport: We compete in a Scottish hill climb event using the latest Mercedes-AMG A45 – but how did it fare?Technical: We follow the handiwork of d:Class automotive in Surrey as it revives an AMG driver’s seat.Tale Of The Star: A 170S provided a window into the world of Mercedes for one writer growing up in Germany.

Mercedes Enthusiast Issue 181 November 2016

First Drive: Can the base diesel enliven the C Class cabrio?First Ride: In the passenger seat of AMG’s new GT R.Star Car: Read our verdict on the capacious new E Class estate – tested in base 220d four-cylinder and AMG V6 forms.Ownership: Living in California, this Mercedes admirer has built up an impressive collection of 1970s classics.Event: We join racer Karl Wedlinger on the Silvretta Classic Rally and experience a 300SEL 6.8 AMG recreation.Star project: Inspired by a drive in the latest SL, one journalist took the plunge and bought an R107 450SL.Spotlight: The 123-series coupe was never offered with a V8 but this conversion suggests it should have been.Road Test: Replacing the old SLK55 AMG V8, the new Mercedes-AMG SLC43 packs a 362bhp V6 biturbo motor.Tuner Car: Evolve Automotive has worked its magic on this 2008 C63 and given it almost the same power as an SLS!Top Five: Covering everything from estates to coupes and roadsters, a £25,000 budget can buy you a lot these days.Motorsport: The US based Dime Racing team tells us about its exploits in the Pirelli World Challenge using an SLS.My Merc: Brilliant in Bornite metallic 500SL Buyer’s Guide: 209-series CLK cabriolets.Running Reports: C55 AMG Estate, E350 4Matic Estate/E350 Bluetec, SL320.Wandering Star: European road trip in a GLA250.

Mercedes Enthusiast Issue 180 October 2016

First Drives: New SL500 and GLS350d.Performance Special: We pay our respects to AMG’s Black Series brand 10 years after the launch of the very first.Performance Special: One of three 560SL 6.0s made by AMG, this R107 has received more upgrades by MKB.Performance Special: Built by Brabus to its 1980s show car’s extreme spec, this 190E 3.6S is the definition of fun.Performance Special: Feast your eyes on the only official-unofficial 300CE 5.6 complete with a 5.5-litre V8 from a 560SE.Performance Special: We compare mint condition SL500 and SL60 AMG roadsters from the 129-series generation.Performance Special: Weighing less than 800kg, this SLK340 hillclimb racer packs a 610bhp Judd V8!Performance Special: The original CLK55 AMG is going cheap – and that’s a surprise given the power on tap.Ownership: The search for his own W115 led one Mercedes fan to France, where he discovered this 230.4.Youngtimer: Once serving the Turkish embassy in New Zealand, this 420SE Special Protection still causes quite a stir.Profile: We look back on the prolific career of Mercedes engineer Erich Waxenberger – father of the ‘super saloon’.

Mercedes Enthusiast Issue 179 September 2016

Star Car: The new GLC coupe promises a sportier drive than its SUV brother and arrives in the UK very soon.Youngtimer Special: Mercedes engineer Hans-Georg Horn reveals details of the 500E/E500’s development.Youngtimer Special: Ex Mercedes and Porsche racer Hans Herrmann owned the very first customer 500E.Youngtimer Special: We drive a 500E on spectacular Welsh roads and see whether it still lives up to the hype.Spotlight: We meet the four-wheeled star of well known US TV show Hart to Hart – a Sun Yellow R107 450SL.Take Two: Both built in 1997, the lives that these W140 S420s have led could not be more different.Interview: Mercedes Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton talks AMGs and his sport with Mercedes Enthusiast.Classic Choice: The owner of this 220SEb Fintail reveals how it fared on a road trip covering over 3,000 miles.Road Test: The C220d Coupe may be the base diesel model with 168bhp, but there is still lots to love.Technical: A step-by-step guide on how to upgrade your classic Mercedes with an electronic ignition system.

Mercedes Enthusiast Issue 178 August 2016

First Drive: Two-litre turbo power for the SLC300.Star Cars: We drive the new C_Class cabriolet in 250d, C43 and C63 S forms – and test the C43 4Matic Coupe.Youngtimer Special: Designed and built like no other motorcars, the 123-series Mercedes are true legends.Tuner Car: Brabus takes the performance of the C63 S saloon to a new level with its 641bhp engine upgrade.Technology: Mercedes reveals details of new engines and drive systems for its Road to the Future programme.Spotlight: When taste and wealth collide – this 126-series based 1001SEL is a guilty pleasure for its latest keeper.Ownership: Discover how the illustrious Ponton bakkie kick-started Mercedes-Benz sales in South Africa.Top Six: A budget of £10,000 is all you need for these modern, real world stars that tick all the boxes.Profile: We join sales teams as they take part in MBUSA’s Brand Immersion customer service improvement scheme.

Mercedes Enthusiast Issue 177 July 2016

Spotlight: From the 1950s 170DS to the very latest Mercedes-Benz E_Class – we drive them all in GermanyBuyer’s Special: Introduction: Welcome to our special issueBuyer’s Special: £5,000 to £20,000 Pontons, 124s and more!Buyer’s Special: £20,000 to £30,000 Fancy a Stroke 8 or C63?Buyer’s Special: £30,000+ Classic droptop fans rejoiceYoungtimer: This extraordinarily rare R129 SL320 is a limited edition designo model finished in Alanite GreenRoad Test Special: We use the latest GLC SUV to chart the history of Mercedes’ 4Matic four-wheel drive systemsTuner Car: Taken to tuner Brabus when new, this R171 SLK350 boasts a more powerful 4.0 V6 and much more!Ownership: Based in New Zealand, this highly original 190E 2.0 has been with the same owner all its lifeMotorsport: We take part in a night time rally in Ecuador with the help of a glorious 450SEL 6.9Take Two: A new C220d Estate Sport or a nearly new CLS220 Bluetec Shooting Brake AMG Line? It’s a tough call...

Mercedes Enthusiast Issue 176 June 2016

Star Car: The new S Class cabriolet is Mercedes’ first grand, open topped four seater for over 40 years.Star Car: Can the SLC’s new looks and engine bring added sparkle to Mercedes’ two-seat roadster formula?Spotlight: Is it possible to turn an R107 into a real driver’s car? We meet The SL Shop’s 300SL SportLine and find out.Youngtimers: After buying a cheap 230TE for daily duties, this driver then found a 190E 2.6 in the same colour.Classic Choice: This W100 600 Pullman has been refitted by none other than Mercedes’ Maybach division.Profile: Based in Cape Town, South Africa, Crossley & Webb looks to satisfy the needs of car enthusiasts.Road Test: With a 215bhp four-cylinder petrol engine and six-speed manual gearbox, the A250 AMG promises thrills.Motorsport: This 280GE is a stunning, rip-snorting recreation of the machine that won the Paris-Dakar in 1983.Event: You could spend days walking around Germany’s Techno Classica event with your jaw dragging on the floor...

Mercedes Enthusiast Issue 175 May 2016

Star Car: We drive the new E-Class saloon in four cylinder diesel and six-cylinder petrol forms.Motorsport: As the latest racing car from Mercedes-AMG, the new GT3 has big boots to fill following the SLS.Star Project: Rebuilt from the ground up, this 2001 G400 CDI boasts a superb Designo interior and much more.Used Road Test: With under 7,000 miles on the clock, this 1997 CL420 feels as fresh as a daisy, and still goes well.Top 10: Our pick of the most iconic engines manufactured by Mercedes-Benz during the last six decades.Profile: Engineer Fritz Nallinger worked on some of the most recognisable Mercedes from the 1930s to 1960s.Take Two: Can the new petrol-electric C350e be as entertaining to drive as a V6 petrol powered W204 C350?Spotlight: We go behind the scenes at Mercedes’ Tuscaloosa factory in the US and reveal its future plans.

Mercedes Enthusiast Issue 174 April 2016

Star Car: Read our first impressions of the facelifted SL on its international launch event in the United States.Take Two: A new AMG E63 is not far away, so we compare the current one to a spiritual predecessor, the 300SEL 6.3.Used Road Test: Costing its first owner over £100,000, this V12 biturbo powered S600 L is now under 14 grand.Spotlight: Feast your eyes on the time warp condition of this CLK320 Coupe with less than 1,000 miles on the clock.Road Test: While the rest of central London sleeps, we put Mercedes-AMG’s new 376bhp A45 to the test.Profile: As fast as Mercedes’ best Silver Arrow racers and an engineering genius, Rudolf Uhlenhaut was a one-off.Classic Choice: This manual gearbox equipped W111 300SE Coupe proves classic Mercs can be used regularly.Tuner Car: Russian company Top Car shows off its ML based Inferno bodykit and reveals a host of engine upgrades.

Mercedes Enthusiast Issue 173 March 2016

Classic Choice: Kept in the same family for over 50 years, this 190 Ponton has been lavished with great care.Tuner Car: UK company Litchield has applied its turbo tuning know-how to the A45 AMG with spectacular results.Youngtimer: With a pair of well kept 126s at his disposal, deciding which one to sell proves tough for one contributor.Road Test: With a 362bhp V6 biturbo engine, the GLE450 AMG Coupe serves up an invigorating drive despite its size.Ownership: Want to lower the running costs of your 204-series C63 AMG? Then you could fit an LPG system...Profile: Step inside the Tiriac Collection and feast your eyes on some of the rarest Mercedes ever made!Spotlight: This lowered W108 280SE is an otherwise endearingly original saloon, with an enthusiastic owner.Interview: We talk to ex Mercedes-Benz racer and current Formula 1 Safety Car driver Bernd Mayländer.Event: We join a Mercedes club meeting in Malaysia and meet members with a tremendous soft spot for the C-Class.

Mercedes Enthusiast Issue 172 February 2016

Star Car: We travel to the Austrian mountains to test Mercedes’ new seven-seat SUV, called the GLS.Youngtimer: Living in South Africa, this super rare AMG 3.4 Cabriolet precedes the better known E36 Cabriolet.Tuner Car: Weistec Engineering hands us the keys to its new AMG GT S tuned to deliver almost 700bhp!Profile: Based in southern California, tuning specialist Weistec Engineering never fails to deliver big thrills.Youngtimer: Advertised for a cool £25,000, this C123 230C is not your average carburettor equipped coupe.Interview: Former Head of Development for the S-Class, SL and SLK, Frank Knothe knows a thing or two about cars.Classic Choice: Enjoying the good life with an honest W115 200 bought on a whim in the summer of 2014.Spotlight: North Africa is home to an incredible number of Mercedes, particularly the Moroccan city of Marrakech.Technical: How to change the brake fluid on Mercedes’ infamously complex Sensotronic Brake Control system.

Mercedes Enthusiast Issue 171 January 2016

Youngtimer: With less than 30,000 miles under its wheels, this 560SL must be one of Canada’s finest R107s.Take Two: The 190E 2.3-16 may have half the cylinder count of the latest AMG C63 but it can still hold its own.Interview: Jörg Abthoff dreamed of creating a 16-valve cylinder head for the M102 motor, and then made it a reality.Road Test: We test Mercedes’ latest petrol V6 in the CLS400 Coupe with two turbos making 362bhp!Tuner Car: Thanks to Väth’s handiwork, this C180 now carries a much bigger stick, without sacrificing efficiency.Classic Choice: Spotted for sale in Germany, this Fintail taxi was shipped to South Africa and then fully restored.Spotlight: Undeterred by the enormous repair bills, the owner of this CL600 turned it into a potential record breaker.Profile: Come behind the scenes at Scott Grundfor Company, a famous Mercedes restorer based in California.